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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to honor the Northeast DuPage
4 Special Recreation Association (NEDSRA) as the organization
5 celebrates its thirtieth anniversary; and
 
6     WHEREAS, NEDSRA was the first Special Recreation
7 Association to operate a facility, the Cabin Nature Program
8 Center, that is an accessible outdoor center for the entire
9 community; NEDSRA is the only Special Recreation Association to
10 utilize Job Training Partnership Act federal, State, and county
11 funds to fund a summer program for youths with disabilities;
12 and
 
13     WHEREAS, NEDSRA was the only Special Recreation
14 Association to receive federal Youth Conservation Corps
15 (Y.C.C.) funds and employ youths with disabilities in outdoor
16 reclamation and accessibility projects; NEDSRA is the only
17 Special Recreation Association to ever receive funds from the
18 Illinois Department of Conservation; NEDSRA operated the
19 Illinois Conservation Corps program and employed workers with
20 and without disabilities in a summer youth program; and
 
21     WHEREAS, In 1979 NEDSRA was recognized as the Illinois
22 Therapeutic Recreation Section's Outstanding Agency in

 

 

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1 Illinois; and
 
2     WHEREAS, NEDSRA has received numerous awards and
3 recognition from the Illinois Special Olympics in recognition
4 of their leadership and contributions to the success of Special
5 Olympics in the Northeastern Illinois Special Olympics region;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, In 1998 NEDSRA collaborated with the Western
8 DuPage Special Recreation Association to form the DuPage PRO
9 (Positive Recreation Opportunities) League; the PRO League
10 targets students with severe behavior disorders from
11 alternative schools and provides a structured environment for
12 weekly sports competition; the League has grown from three to
13 fourteen teams since its inception; and
 
14     WHEREAS, In 2001, NEDSRA received two National Therapeutic
15 Recreation Society's "Jean Tague Innovative Program Awards"
16 for its Pet Therapy Program and PRO League Competitive Sports
17 League for At-risk Teens; in 2002, NEDSRA was named as one of
18 only nine agencies nationwide to be chosen as a charter member
19 of BLAZE Sports Clubs of America; through this national
20 program, spearheaded by the United States Disabled Athletes
21 Fund, new sports opportunities exist for people with physical
22 disabilities; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, In 2004, NEDSRA co-founded and continues to
2 sponsor a local chapter of the Autism Society of America; in
3 2004 NEDSRA's website was redesigned and made interactive,
4 winning the Illinois Park and Recreation Association's Best of
5 Show award; and
 
6     WHEREAS, During the 2005-2006 service year, NEDSRA
7 implemented 730 programs for 4,764 separate individuals with a
8 special need; NEDSRA promotes and advocates for people with
9 disabilities through community education and ability awareness
10 programs for local school districts; therefore, be it
 
11     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
12 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
13 congratulate the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation
14 Association for thirty-years of serving the needs of others,
15 for their hard work and commitment, and for their willingness
16 to touch the hearts of so many; and be it further
 
17     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
18 presented to the Northeast DuPage Special Recreation
19 Association on their thirtieth anniversary as a symbol of our
20 respect and esteem.